Board Is Target Of Complaint

Enfield Panel Accused Of Meeting Illegally

ENFIELD — The second complaint in six months has been filed with the state Freedom of Information Commission against the school board. Town and school officials say the complaint is groundless.

Former school board member Robert Tkacz said he filed the complaint last month after the board met in executive session with the town council Feb. 5 in town hall.

Tkacz says he was told by two board members, whom he would not name but who were at the meeting, that it dealt with a teacher- retirement incentive package the town council approved on Monday. Tkacz says he was told there was no discussion of personnel matters or individual teachers at the closed- door meeting of the board and council.

On that basis, he filed the complaint.

``They gave some generalities on how much would be saved'' Tkacz said, and as a result the meeting should have been public.

The school system has since offered the package to 42 teachers. It would allow schools to replace teachers who choose to retire by June 30 and who earn about $60,000 a year with teachers who would earn about $26,000. Despite offering eligible teachers $20,000 each to retire early, a similar package last year saved the board more than $300,000 when 11 teachers took advantage of it.

Eligible teachers are scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon to consider the package.

Town and school officials contacted Friday would not comment on the topic of the joint board-council executive session they attended, or on what was said. However, all maintained that it met conditions of the state FOI laws.

``I have no worries about it. It was well within the purview of executive session guidelines,'' said board Chairwoman Ann Maloney.

``I'm tempted to ask Mr. Tkacz to go out and get a life for himself. He needs a hobby,'' Maloney added.

School Superintendent John Gallacher said Friday that if the retirement package was the topic, it would fall under FOI guidelines for labor negotiations and qualify for an executive session.

In August, parents of 44 Parkman Elementary School students complained to the FOI commission that the board held an illegal closed- door meeting in July. The topic was whether their children should walk or ride a bus to school. The FOI commission held a hearing on the complaint Feb. 1. A decision has not been issued.

An FOI representative said Tkacz's complaint is being reviewed by a commission attorney. Based on that review, it will be given a docket number and a commission member will be assigned to hear it. All parties involved then will be notified of a hearing date, probably set about five months from now.